Never Letting Go
by sbmcneil
Summary: Harry loved Ginny. Now all he to do was tell her and make it very clear to his best mate. Written for the SIYE Three Little Words challenge.


"I bet Hermione is going to be sad she missed this," Harry said to Ron as they uncovered another stack of _Standard Spells – 5__th__ year_.

Ron laughed as he looked around the heavily spell damaged Flourish & Blotts where he and Harry, as well as many of their Hogwarts' classmates, were helping to clean-up the shops on Diagon Alley. "I know. She would love doing this."

"Do you think she will be back before we're done here?" Harry asked as he started stacking the copies of _Unfogging the Future_ that were scattered around on the floor. He performed a cursory inspection of each copy. Any damaged copy was tossed into a bin while undamaged copies were stacked for reshelving once they were finished clearing up the shop.

"I don't know." Ron shrugged. "She and her parents are…well it's not going as well as she hoped it would."

"Are they still angry?" Harry asked sympathetically.

"Not so much angry anymore as disappointed. She didn't tell them a whole lot about the war and what was happening during our last two years at Hogwarts," Ron explained. "She's trying really hard to repair their relationship. They want her to spend the summer with them. The good news is they were able to sell their practice in Melbourne and they will be headed back to England in two weeks. They are going to visit New Zealand first."

"Well at least she'll be back in the country," Harry offered.

"_Scourgify!"_ Ron cleaned up the floor after Harry stacked up the last of the books in their section.

He gestured to Harry toward the next section they were supposed to clear. "What good does it do for her to be back in the country if we can't see each other? She said her parents want her to stay with them until it's time for her to leave for Hogwarts. It's not fair. We finally get together and we can't see each other."

"Well, you can write to each other," Harry pointed out. "Maybe her parents will let you visit or you two could spend the day together or something."

Ron glared at him. "You wouldn't understand. I've liked Hermione since…I don't know two years. I mean I really like her and we get together and now we can't spend anytime together."

"Yeah, I would have no idea what that is like," Harry replied sarcastically.

Ron waved him off. "No, this is different. Hermione is…she is so smart and beautiful and for some reason, she really likes me, too. We are…I mean this isn't some school romance."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Harry asked.

"We are both…adults, not kids," Ron explained. "You and Ginny had a school fling, like me and Lavender or you and Cho. Hermione and I really like each other. This isn't some fling."

"What?" Harry said icily, anger building in him.

Seemingly unaware of his friend's anger, Ron answered, "I can't explain it. You'll understand some day when you meet someone."

"You do understand that I am dating your sister, right?"

"For now," Ron replied. "Have you seen the girls who are throwing themselves at you? In the fall, Ginny will be back at school and you'll be at the Ministry. You're young and rich and you can get any girl you want. Once Ginny goes back to school, you can find some hot, sophisticated witch."

"Let me get this straight. You think I'm just spending time with your sister waiting until the fall when I can ditch her for some hot witch?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"Well, yeah," Ron said in confusion. "Ginny is just a kid. She's nice and I guess she's okay looking. I know you two get along and play Quidditch together, but it's not like an adult relationship."

"What the hell do you know about an adult relationship?" Harry retorted. "Ginny…Ginny is an incredibly beautiful and sexy witch and I…I…" Harry trailed off as he realized what he was about to say. He wanted to say I love her, but he realized that he should be saying that to Ginny, not Ron. "I need a break."

He quickly strode off, leaving his best friend staring in confusion at his back. Harry shoved his hands in his pockets and left the shop. He didn't understand Ron's attitude toward his and Ginny's relationship. He didn't seem upset about it, but he acted as though it was just a passing fling. Ron had made comments before about Harry and Ginny being mates and Quidditch buddies. Couldn't he understand that Harry loved his sister?

Harry kicked a rock angrily as he turned down Diagon Alley. Despite his anger at his best friend, the sight of so many people getting together to reopen Diagon Alley lifted his spirits. Gone were the boarded up and burnt out buildings. In their place were newly refurbished and freshly painted shops. Harry waved to Katie Bell, who was working at Quality Quidditch Supplies and Lavender Brown, who, along with Parvati Patil, was working at Madame Malkin's.

He glanced uneasily up at Gringotts. He had spent two weeks in the depths of Gringotts, helping a team of wizards and goblins repair the damage that had been caused when they escaped on the back of the dragon. Charlie had been instrumental in arranging for not only a new dragon, but better working conditions for the dragons. While it had been hard work, Harry had learned a lot about magical repairs and construction as well as warding and setting spells.

"Harry!"

Turning, Harry smiled as he watched Ginny approaching him. "Hey, Gin."

Reaching his side, Ginny leaned up and kissed him. "Hi, I thought you were working at Flourish and Blotts this morning."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I was until your prat of a brother annoyed me."

Tucking her arm in his elbow, Ginny steered him toward the Magical Menagerie. "What did he do now?"

Harry hesitated slightly. He didn't really want to repeat what Ron had said to him. Not only would it make her angry, it would hurt her feelings as well. "He was just going on about how I wouldn't understand getting together with a girl only to be separated from her right away."

"What would he know? They write back and forth almost everyday." Her voice faltered slightly as she thought back over the last year. "I…I would have given anything to be able to write to you last year. I was so worried about you and I couldn't even talk about you."

Reaching out, Harry took her hand, squeezing it gently. "I know. I used to watch your dot on the Marauder's Map at night. I would spend so much time staring at it, hoping you were okay and wishing I was with you." He sighed. "I hate that you have another year at Hogwarts."

Ginny smiled up at him. "Me too. You are going to come visit me, right? Come to Quidditch games and Hogsmeade weekends?"

"Of course," Harry replied with a smile. "I already told both Kingsley and Robards that I'm going to Hogwarts to see you whenever I can. Kingsley just laughed, but he said we could work something out."

Ginny blushed, but she was happy that Harry was already telling others that he wanted to be with her. The two of them had gotten back together soon after the battle at Hogwarts in May. They had leaned upon each other during the many funerals they had both needed to attend. It seemed to Ginny that most of May had been spent attending funerals and paying condolence calls on those who lost loved ones. Harry had attended the funeral of everyone who was lost during the battle and Ginny had gone with him.

The days between the funerals the couple spent out in the orchard at the Burrow. Sometimes they just sat quietly enjoying each other's company; other times they talked about their year apart. It was hard for both of them at first to share their experiences, but Ginny found it very easy to talk to Harry. He didn't judge her or downplay her experiences as her mother and brothers tended to do. He simply listened and comforted her when needed. She returned the favour for him. She listened to him talk about the Horcruxes and nights spent in the tent wondering if he was doing the right thing and wondering how long before both of his friends left. She also listened to his confused feelings about both Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. It was hard to believe that Professor Snape had been in love with Harry's mother for so long.

"Good, you can tell Kingsley that I expect him to honour that," she replied with some satisfaction.

The couple entered the pet shop, nodding to Terry Boot, who was working in the front of the shop.

"Come on," Ginny said. "I've been working in the back."

Following his girlfriend into the back of the shop, Harry looked around. "Do you want me to help?"

Ginny beamed. "That would be great. I just need to finish up with cages."

"Okay," Harry said as he watched her. He thought back to his discussion with Ron. He wanted to tell Ginny that he loved her, but that wasn't something you could just blurt out, was it? It seemed like something that big and that important should be done on a romantic evening with roses and soft music.

Harry almost laughed out loud at that thought. He could easily see Ginny in a beautiful dress in an elegant restaurant surrounded by flowers. He just couldn't see himself there at the same time. Not for the first time, he wished that his best friend wasn't his girlfriend's brother so he could ask these questions. It was times like this he really missed Sirius.

He looked over and watched her as she was working. _She was so beautiful. How in Merlin's name could Ron think he would want someone else?_ He knew that he wasn't good enough for Ginny, but if she thought he was, he certainly wasn't going to complain.

A soft noise attracted Harry's attention. He turned toward the noise only to see Ginny had done the same. It seemed to be coming from the alley behind the shop.

Raising his wand, Harry intoned, "_Homenum revelio."_

After a moment he said, "There is no one out there. Do you want to go out there?"

Ginny nodded and drawing her wand, opened the door. The young couple walked cautiously out into the alley. Ginny wrinkled her nose at the odour that met them. The noxious mix of rubbish and cat urine wafted its way across the alleyway.

The alley ran from Gringotts to a road Harry didn't recognize. From the lack of cars, he assumed it was part of Wizarding London. Directly across the alley was a pair of heavy metal doors that had taken some spell damage at some point in time. Harry could see the bottom portion of one of the doors was missing.

The noise came again, a bit louder this time. It sounded like a mewing. Ginny gestured toward the door and after glancing around, Harry pushed open the door. It opened with very little pressure and led into a basement. The dark musty room appeared to be empty, but Harry heard a rustling sound at the far corner.

"_Lumos!_"

The mewling sound got louder as Ginny's wand revealed three little kittens. As the light shown on them, one of the kittens ran from the light.

"Oh, Harry we have to help them!" Ginny cried as she knelt down next to the two remaining kittens.

"Okay, you stay with these two," Harry said. He followed the sound of the kitten scampering through the dark basement. After a few minutes chase, he managed to corner the little black kitten behind an old water heater. Reaching down, he grabbed the kitten. He winced in pain when the kitten responded by scratching his hand, but he resolutely held on.

"Come on, little guy. We need to find your brothers," Harry said as he tried to soothe the little kitten.

Ginny met them at the door, holding the other two kittens. She smiled. "Good you found him. These poor little guys must have been hiding out since the shop was hit. Let's get them back to the shop and get them some food."

Turning, she led the way back into the shop, murmuring to the kittens. When they reentered the back of the pet shop, Ginny handed the kittens to him while she bustled around, preparing a cage with food and water for them.

Harry watched bemused as she worked. She worked confidently, humming a bit under her breath as she did so. Some of her hair had worked its way free of the braid she had secured it in that morning, falling around her face. He could see a smudge of dirt on her nose as she came to pick up the kittens. She picked them up one by one, fussing over each of them as she carried them to their new home.

"I love you." He almost bit his tongue as he blurted it out. _That was really romantic, you idiot._

Ginny turned to him in surprise. "What?" She walked over to him, her eyes shining brightly.

He watched her come closer, mesmerized by her. "I love you. I didn't mean to just blurt it out like that, but you looked so beautiful and so caring. I was just thinking how much I love you and I just…just…"

"Blurted it out?" Ginny finished for him with a smile. She reached up and cupped his cheek. "I love you, Harry. I've wanted to tell you for a while, but I …"

"What?" he asked as he slid his arms around her waist.

"I didn't want to put any pressure on you," she confessed. "I didn't want you to feel you had to say it back if you weren't ready."

Leaning down, he kissed her, gently at first and then more passionately. He tangled one hand in her hair, freeing the hair that hadn't already come down, the other hand edged under her t-shirt.

The sound of a door banging open in the front of the store caused them to pull apart. Harry rested his forehead against hers. "I do love you, very much."

She beamed up at him. "I love you, too."

Ron burst into the back room. "There you are, Harry."

As Harry turned to face him, Ron said, "Merlin, what happened to you? You're covered in dirt and your hand is bleeding."

As Ginny reached for his hand apologizing for not noticing, Harry explained how they'd rescued the kittens.

"All of that just for some kittens?" Ron asked in disbelief as Ginny fussed over his hand. "You can say no to her, you know."

Harry laughed. "Why would I want to? She's my girlfriend and if that's what makes her happy, who am I to say no?"

Ginny beamed up at him and kissed him on the cheek.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Are you coming back?"

"Are you going to stop being a git?" Harry shot back.

"What did I do?" Ron asked. "I was just talking about Hermione and you got angry and left."

Pulling Ginny closer, Harry said, "You have no idea why I got angry, do you?"

Ron shook his head.

"I love your sister. I am tired of you treating our relationship like it is some casual thing," Harry explained. "You keep acting as though I don't care about her or we are just buddies. We are in an 'adult relationship,' just as much as you and Hermione. I'm not going to ditch her when she goes back to school. I'm not looking for some hot witch at the Ministry. I have an incredibly hot, caring, sexy witch right here and I am not letting go of her, so you need to get used to it."

"You love her?" Ron sounded shocked.

"Yes, Ron. I love her," Harry replied tersely.

"And you told her?"

Ginny laughed. "Ron, you do realize I am standing right here, right? Yes, he told me."

Turning to Harry, she said, "I'm going to break for lunch. Do you want to come with me?"

"Of course, love."

"Are you coming with us, Ron?"

Hand-in-hand, Harry and Ginny exited onto Diagon Alley, followed by a slightly dazed Ron.

"Did you mean all of that?" Ginny asked.

Harry nodded.

"Good, because I'm not letting go of you either."


End file.
